Luxury cruise in the heart of the Amazon
FERNANDO PASTRANO ABCVIAJAR
Boats as floating hotels make it possible for all audiences to explore the largest river in the world
PILAR ARCOS
A three-story boat, luxury cruise in the heart of the jungle
PILAR ARCOS
Native boats on one of the tributaries of the Ucayali River
PILAR ARCOS
A tourist poses with an anaconda captured next to the Pacaya River
PILAR ARCOS
Giant water lilies next to the town of Magdalena
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Of all the rivers that exist on Earth, the Amazon is the one that moves a greater volume of water. According to scientists, it discharges 200,000 cubic meters per second into the Atlantic Ocean. To get an idea, a medium pool of a villa can hold 80 cubic meters. In other words, the Amazon could fill 2,500 of these pools in just one second!
As for length, it used to be said in textbooks that only the Nile with its 6,650 kilometers exceeded it. However, recent studies claim that the Amazon is longer, reaching 6,763 kilometers. The source of a river is at the furthest point of its mouth following an uninterrupted water course. But where to locate that place among so many tributaries and tributaries? Undoubtedly in Peru, on the eastern slope of the Andes mountain range, a range of streams, torrents and streams flow into the Marañón and Ucayali rivers. At the confluence of both, upstream of the city of Iquitos, the great current that everyone calls Amazonas is formed, a monster that can reach 45 kilometers in flood age, that is, it looks like a sea since one edge is not enough to see the other.
The Pacaya-Samira National Reserve, located in the deepest part of the humid tropical forest, is going to be the scenario where we move for the next four days. With its 20,000 km² in which only about 30,000 people live (1.5 inhabitants / km²), it is a privileged place to see nature in all its splendor. Here you can only arrive by river. The closest city with airport is Iquitos, which deserves a separate chapter. For years it was along with Manaus the world capital of rubber, and today languishes between longing and misery.THIS IS THE BOAT
In the small town of Nauta, about 100 km. from Iquitos, we went aboard the brand new M / N Aqua, a curious three-story boat, 39.80 meters long and 7.30 meters wide, which in the middle of the jungle seems to me like a strange alien vehicle out of context . The first two floors are occupied by the rooms, twelve in total, all of them exterior and the restaurant. In the upper one is the bar that serves as a meeting room, and an outdoor deck protected by a white tent. Particularly striking are the windows of the rooms, large, with white curtains, which give the boat the appearance of a floating luxury villa.
Once inside the rooms, nothing makes us think we are in a ship. Even when it starts up, the engines are noisy and the generators are encapsulated. It does not move too much, as long as there is no storm. "If you hear any loud noise, do not be alarmed," the captain tells us, "it will surely be some driftwood that has collided with us. But nothing has ever happened ». Nor has there been any theft, although the doors have no locks or bolts. For the rest, the bed, the wardrobe, the bathroom with shower, the air conditioning ... everything just like in a hotel. I miss a television and telephone coverage, but it is that, except when you pass near a town of some importance, these moderneces do not exist in the jungle. But the Aqua has a satellite phone for emergencies.
IGUANAS, CAIMANES, ANACONDAS
The first meeting, on the upper deck, is to meet passengers (24) and crew (21), for a small safety talk about the possible use of boats and life jackets (in everyone's mind a word that nobody names: Titanic ) and so that the guides, prepared, educated and very kind people, will tell us that these trips are always different, and that we can not calculate which animals we will see. Lazy bears, iguanas, orioles, alligators, hoatzins, monkeys, anacondas, even jaguars are waiting for us, so that we can see them is something else. We then go to the dining room where we are served a dinner worthy of a five forks based on modern Peruvian cuisine, one of the best in the world.
The next morning we inaugurated the excursions. After a whole night of navigation while we slept we arrived at the surroundings of the town of Magdalena where only ten families live. The Aqua drops the anchor and we go to the shore in boats with motor. To eat we go back to the ship. New excursion in the afternoon and dinner on board. Some days night excursions to see the fauna in the light of the moon.
This will be the daily "routine" suitable for all audiences. Small hikes through the jungle, animal sightings, encounters with the locals, but always return to the boat to eat first, shower like gentlemen and sleep soundly to be fit for the next activity.
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